HILL COUNTY, Mont. (NMB) – The Bear Paw Volunteer Fire Department is continuing with efforts to raise funds to build a fire hall.
Fire Chief Josh Bebee says they have been saving up funds for years and have been able to purchase a building and land, but they are still in search of funds to complete dirt work and concrete slabs in order to erect the hall.
“To finish this project, we’re going to be looking at close to $150,000 when it’s all said and done. It’s really going to benefit the department. For one, when the weather starts changing, we don’t have to drain and winterize a bunch of our fire units. We’ll be able to keep everything full of water and heated, out of the elements. And then it’s also going to help out as a morale booster and everything. It’ll be a place where we can hold our board meetings, we can do trainings. So it would be a lot more beneficial to have a place like that, a place where we can do the maintenance on our trucks and work on our trucks, instead of everybody taking a truck home and working on them in their driveway.”
Bebee says they are waiting to hear back on a grant application that was sent to the Browning Kimble Foundation, but it may not cover the rest of the project.
“We could possibly get that out of the grant, or we may not get that out of the grant, and we’ll have to keep raising money. Which is fine. We live in a great community, and this community has been very, very supportive of our department and has contributed a lot to us. And we can’t be more thankful to the people of this community for how much they’ve helped us and to keep things going. And what they’ve donated to us, it’s been very remarkable.”
Fundraising events that are ongoing include a raffle. Those interested in purchasing tickets can contact the Department on Facebook.
As for this fire season, Bebee says it has not been as bad as anticipated in their coverage area, but they aren’t out of the woods yet.
